Island



(Nb Model.) 7 P. B. THATCHER.

ATTACHMENT FOR BOTTLING MACHINES. N0. 352,166. Patented Nov. 9, 1886.

N. PETERS. Phoi rumographer. wamln mn. D, c.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT ()FFIcE.

FREDERICK B. THATCHER, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE PETN A STOPPER COMPANY, OF PAW- I TUCKET, RHODE ISLAND.

ATTACHMENT FO-R BOTTLING-MAICHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,165, dated November 9, 1886. I Application filed January 17, 1884. Serial No. 117,826. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK B. THATOH- ER, of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certai n newanduseful Improvements in Attachments for Bottling-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, whereby a person skilled in the art can make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. V

, Like letters in the figures indicate the same parts. I :5 Figure 1 is a view in elevation of part ofa bottle-filling machine, showing the head in section and the feed-pipe-bearing 'thevalves.

Fig. 2 is a view in horizontal central section of the filling-pipe and valves, and a vertical 2o central section of the head, showing the rela-' tive position of the parts when filling a bottle.

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view of the same parts, with the parts in position for the escape of compressed air. Fig. 4 is a view in cross- 2 5 section on plane denoted byline am: of Fig. 3. My invention, as herein illustrated, relates moreparticularly to the class of bottle-filling devices used to fill a bottle that has a stopper or valve closed by theoutward pressure of the 0 gas contained in the bottle. A bottle-stopper of this class is described in the United States Patent N 0. 283,436, dated August 21, 1883; and my present invention isespecially useful in combination with the device therein shown. My invention consists in the combination, with a chambered head having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet being provided with a projecting stem to open an outwardly-closing valve in the vessel, the said stem being slabbed off longitudinally to permit the passage thereby of liquid and gas, of'afilling-tube connected with the inlet to said chambered head, provided with a stop-valve and a stop-and-vent valve, the said stop-and-vent valve being lo- 5 cated between the chambered head and the stop-valve, and adapted to open the fluid-passage and close the airvent, whereby the operation of permitting the escape of compressed gas from the vessel when partiallyfilled and the subsequent filling of the vessel with the liquid under pressure may be performed in the manner and for the purposes to be herein- 1 after fully explained.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter a denotes the cross-bar of the frame I) of a bottle filling machine of ordinary construction; 0, a metallic head having a chamber, (7, opening downward and on one side; 6, a housing or packing held in place by nut f,- g, a stem slabbed ofl" on one or more sides and threaded on its edges to fit the threaded downward opening in the head, in which it is secured with its lower end projecting beyond the lower face of the housing.

In the lateral opening of the head the main 6 5 filling-tube h is secured, as by a thread fitting the-threaded socket, and this tube-bears the stop-valve a, ofcommon form,and also thestopand-vent valve k, of the class commonly used on water-pipes to stop the supply and drain the portion of pipe that is above the cock or valve, the latter being located between the stop-valve and the head and as close as practicable to the head.

' The filling-pipeleads from any usual source of supply, and in filling bottles with liquids sweetened and flavored by sirups'the stopcock is usually combined with the siruppump; but the form shown may be used in filling bottles with mineral waters, plain soda, and thelike.

The bottle Z, when ready to be filled, is placed on the stand below the head, with the stopper fastened down, as shown in the drawings, and in such position that the stem 9, when the housing bears upon the top of the bottle, will enter the central perforation in the stopper and thrust open thevalves m in the elastic-plug. WVhen the bottle is thus held, the

stop-valve i is opened and the liquid under 0 pressure passes through the main induct-pas sage, through the stop-and-vent valve, the head, along the sides of the stem, and into the bottle, which is filled to about two-thirds its capacity, at which point the compressed air accumulates in the upper part of the bottle, and must be released before the bottle can be completely filled.

It may be well to state that-bottles are filled with carbonated liquids, mineral waters, spark- 10o ure.

ling wines, and the like under pressures varying from thirty to one hundred pounds to the square inch, the average pressure on carbonated beverages being sixty to seventy pounds; and it is very essential that the predetermined pressure shall be certainly given to the bottled liquid, as its life, sparkle, and quality depend on this. \Vith my improved devices and method of filling this is insured, as the stopand-vent valve is next closed as to the main passage, and at the same time the vent 7c is opened and the compressed air allowed to escape, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. This air-valve is opened and quickly closed again, the main passage being again opened by the same movement that closes the vent, and the filling of the bottle completed by the inpouring ot' the liquid under the whole press- As soon as the bottle is filled the stopvalve is closed and the head lifted, which withdraws the stem and allows the valves or to close.

It will be seen that the last pressure upon the contents of the bottle was the same as that in the main supply-tube and the source, and that the bottle is filled under the pressure indieated at the fountain or gage.

The main feature of my inventionthe arrangement and use of the combined stop-andvent valve,whereby the bottle is filled to the required pressure-is obviously as'applieable to the filling and corking machine as to the special class hereinbefore described.

I claim as my invention- In an apparatus for filling bottles and other vessels to contain liquid under pressure, the combination, with a chambered head having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet being provided with a projecting stem to open an outwardly-closing valve in the vessel to be filled, the said projecting stem being slabbed off longitudinally to permit the passage thereby of liquid or gas, of a filling-tube connected with the inlet to said chambered head, provided with a stop-valve and a stop-and-vent valve, the said stop-and-vent valve being adapted to open the fluid-passage and close the air or gas vent, whereby the operation of permitting the escape of compressed gas from the vessel when partially filled, and the subse quent filling of the vessel with the liquid under pressure, may be performed substantially in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

FREDERICK B. THATCHER. \Vitnesses:

CHAS. L. BURDETT, ED. F.-DIMOOK. 

